


Blood in the Water

by Zephyreon



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Discussion of Past Miscarriages, Forced Miscarriages, Gen, Giant Mipha, Healer Mipha, Hurt Link, Hurt/Comfort, It's all in the past tho, Language Barrier, Mpreg, No Champions AU, No Ganon AU, Physical Abuse, Political tensions, Protective Mipha, Sexual Abuse, descriptions of:, protective sidon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:48:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21714037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zephyreon/pseuds/Zephyreon
Summary: When Mipha and Sidon fish a grievously injured Hylian out of the Zora river, a language and cultural divide prevent them from finding out who could commit such atrocities against another person.But as the Hylian heals and clues about the nature of their abuser come to light, it turns out that the attempted murder is the least complicated part about the whole situation.(Edit 29.6.2020-Chapter 3 now has an additional 687 words. Plz read them.)
Relationships: Link & Mipha (Legend of Zelda), Link & Prince Sidon
Comments: 20
Kudos: 325





	1. Chapter 1

“How mad do you think Father would be if we left, just for a day?” Sidon asked, “I mean, we’re already halfway there essentially. There’s nothing stopping us; we could go on a little jaunt outside the Domain and be back by morning.” He didn’t need to be facing his sister to see the look of derision she shot in his direction, but knew she had often entertained the same thought. As the heirs to the Zora throne, they were bound by rules many times older than them to remain within the Domain’s borders to stay safe from the dangers outside them. And while they seemed cruel and constrictive at times, with their father no longer of breeding age and lacking a mate both Sidon and Mipha knew if something happened to them there wouldn’t be anyone to replace them, bringing the royal line to an end.

“I’d like to venture out as much as you do, Sidon, but that might actually cause Father to take the elder’s advice and put bars on your windows.” Mipha said, and Sidon had to concede the point. The window in Sidon’s bedroom had at one time been his only way of leaving the palace without anyone knowing, and was probably the only reason his adolescence had been as survivable as it was. The threat of cutting his only escape off had long been used to keep him in line as a child, and even as he had approached adulthood. Though if Sidon was being honest with himself, he hadn’t wanted to truly leave the Domain in a long time, not since his rebellious adolescent years, and there was a fair amount of territory within the Zora borders for them to explore.

“We should probably head back now, though,” Mipha said, looking downriver, “it looks like a storm is coming.” Sidon turned to where his sister was looking and frowned at the dark clouds gathering near the mouth of the Zora river. He was reluctant to let their outing end, after finally convincing their father to allow them out without a guard accompanying them, but not even he was bull-headed enough to stay out in a storm.

Sidon stood from where they sat on the Bank of Wishes and stretched, offering a hand to Mipha. Now that he was paying attention he could smell the electricity in the air and feel the extra humidity carried by the wind, both of which promised the storm was going to be something to remember. With as deep into the rainy season as they were it rained more often than it didn’t, and Sidon and Mipha had been extremely fortunate to get even a few hours of clear sky.

“Is that blood?” Sidon turned to his sister at her quiet exclamation and then to where she was pointing upriver. Something red was clouding the water coming around the bend and Sidon’s gut knotted in worry. He gingerly slipped into the water and flared his gills, scenting the water. A bitter, metallic taste coated his mouth, telling him it was indeed blood, and Sidon thought he knew what had happened. Though they were rare in their neck of Hyrule, a deer had probably slipped on the rough cliffs above the Zora river and crashed down into the waters below. If it was still alive it would almost certainly need to be put out of its misery, a thought that turned Sidon’s stomach.

Mipha stepped into the water behind him as he swam upriver, following the blood to its source. They rounded the curve in the river and came upon Oren bridge, the Domain visible off in the distance. The scent of the blood was stronger, more concentrated, meaning the source had to be close, but the river’s banks were clear for as far as he could see.

“Sidon,” Mipha bit out, grabbing his hand with an iron grip, “look.” Sidon followed her pointing finger to a boulder jutting out of the water in front of the bridge, and his breath caught as he spotted the pale, bony leg hanging off of it. Mipha wasted no time is rushing forward and there on the other side of the rock was a Hylian clinging to it for dear life, pinned in place by the river’s strong current. They were struggling to pull themselves out of the water, but all of their efforts were in vain with one leg rendered useless from a grievous wound in their thigh and the opposite arm held tight against their chest, the wrist discolored from heavy bruising and about twice the size of their other one.

One look was enough to see that the wound in their leg was the source of all the blood in the river, and Sidon knew that if they didn’t do something it was likely it would be the death of them. Mipha reached out a hand, mouth open to offer reassurances, but her touch startled the Hylian and caused them to lose their grip, the current quickly sweeping them away.

“No!” Mipha and Sidon shouted in tandem, and while he was frozen in shock for a moment, his sister was off like a shot down the river, going after the tiny Hylian with everything she had. He quickly fell in behind her, chasing the little head of blond hair as it tumbled downriver. The panic in his gut spiked every time they smacked into the river bank, fearful that each hit against the rocky banks would be their last. Finally Mipha caught up to them and gathered them into her arms, and Sidon hauled the both of them up onto solid ground. She turned the Hylian onto their side and they immediately began vomiting up a mixture of river water and bile onto the gravel, each heave of their chest followed by a strangled whine of pain.

Now that they weren’t in any danger of being swept away, Sidon took a moment to really look at the Hylian, and what he found almost made him vomit himself. The entire right side of their face was swollen and bruised, the eye no longer visible, and their nose was crooked in a way that suggested a severe fracture and was forcing them to breathe through their mouth. Their too-small shirt had ridden up to expose more bruised skin that was littered with more scar tissue, both old and new, than Sidon had ever seen on anyone in his life.

Mipha waited until the Hylian had calmed some before gathering them back up, causing them to squirm against her hold. Even if she hadn’t had the Zora’s superior strength on her side, Sidon knew there was no way the Hylian could have ever escaped; they were simply too injured to put up a proper fight, and within moments Mipha had her arms securely locked around them. Tears sprung to their eyes as they realized there was no way out, and their pitiful whimpers as they frantically looked around tugged on Sidon’s heartstrings in the most heart breaking way.

“Easy there, friend,” Sidon said, holding his hands up as he knelt so the Hylian could see them, “we’re not going to hurt you.” He figured the Hylian didn’t understand Zora, and so was careful to keep his voice pitched low and calm to try and keep their upset to a minimum. It didn’t work though, and he froze when it caused an uptick in the Hylian’s already erratic and labored breathing. Their one good eye darted between Sidon and he sister, wide and unseeing, and for a moment he feared that they would simply expire from fright.

“Sidon,” Mipha said, voice urgent but firm, “do you know what sweet-leaf looks like?” The question caught him off guard, and it took him a moment to answer.

“Of course I do.”

“Then go find me some. Now!” He jumped at the exclamation but recovered quickly and dashed off to find the requested plant. Sweet-leaf was one of the most common and prolific plants in all of Hyrule, growing everywhere from Hebra to Faron. It was also one of the most useful medicinally, as a great number of tonics and tinctures could be brewed from its various parts. It was most notorious, however, as an anesthetic as the leaves released a sweet nectar when crushed that was capable of knocking out even Sidon.

He located a small bush of the plant growing beneath a pine tree only a few steps away and yanked the entire plant out of the ground, the situation too urgent to allow a careful gathering. He skidded to a halt in front of Mipha and held it as she pulled off a few of its pale green leaves, crushing them between her fingers and sticking them into the Hylian’s mouth. Sidon had only ever been given sweet-leaf twice, once as a child when a tooth began growing sideways and needed to be cut out, and then again as an adolescent to spare him the agony of having a broken leg reset. The first time he’d been given one leaf and by the second time he’d needed two. Sidon figured that at his current size he’d need about three, and was a little alarmed when Mipha gave the Hylian a total of seven leaves, holding her hand over their mouth to keep them from spitting them up.

“Are you sure you want to give them that many?” Sidon asked. The Hylian struggled for another minute or two before they finally beginning to relax, the sweet-leaf taking effect.

“Probably not, but at least they can’t overdose on them.” Mipha said, removing her hand as the Hylian entered the final stages before sleep. By then it was too late for the Hylian, as the nectar was already in their system, and Sidon watched as their good eye fluttered a few times before sliding shut, the immense tension in their body leaving them in one big rush. “We need to get them back to the Domain.”

Sidon nodded and stood, taking the Hylian into his arms for a moment to let Mipha get up. Now that Sidon finally had hands on the poor thing he could feel just how light they were, starvation evident in their protruding joints and gaunt face. Mipha took the Hylian back once she was in the water, settling them on her back and looping their arms around her neck. Once she had a good hold on them and was confident they wouldn’t slip, she gave Sidon one last look over her shoulder and took off for the Domain as quickly as she could. Even with the Hylian throwing off her hydrodynamics Mipha was still quick and nimble as ever, almost as if the Hylian wasn’t even there.

He watched Mipha for a moment until she disappeared around a bend in the river, leaving Sidon with just the sweet-leaf for company. Thunder rumbled overhead and spurred him into action, gathering the sweet-leaf up from where it had been tossed to the ground. Sidon carefully replanted it under its pine tree, packing the earth around its base, and offered up a small prayer in the hope that it would recover and continue to grow.

As he stood and brushed the dirt off his hands, a dark stain on the ground caught his eye and his stomach clenched when he realized it was blood. No doubt it was from the Hylian, from the wound on their leg, and it worried Sidon to see how much of it there was. It struck him then just how serious the Hylian’s situation was, and for the first time he realized that it was not a guarantee that they would get to see the next morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as an aside, there is one relationship that isn't tagged to avoid a spoiler, but I can add it if that's a problem.
> 
> Comment and kudo plz and thank


	2. Chapter 2

The Domain was abuzz with activity when Sidon finally returned, everyone standing bunched up in groups as they gossiped. He knew Mipha must have quite the entrance, as it wasn’t everyday that the crown princess brought back a strange Hylian, much less one that was practically beating down death’s door. The elders in particular seemed to be having the most animated conversations, which was to be expected from the biggest gossips in all Lanayru. In their day Dorephan would have never thought to cause such scandal, and didn’t Mipha know better than that?

Though everyone turned to glance at Sidon as he made for the infirmary, none approached him as he hurried on his way. Sidon had an imposing figure that made seem unapproachable at the best of times, but he had become strangely worried about the Hylian, and the Zora hanging about in the hallways of the palace likely sensed that if they didn’t get out of his way he was going to trample them.

Sidon hesitated at the doors to the infirmary, easing them open so as to not startle the healers within. The Hylian lay on the exam table at the back of the room, the curtain pushed back to allow the healers free access. Mipha stood at the Hylian’s side in her green healer’s sash, tending to their wrist while also barking out orders, and another washed out the wound on their leg. Already there was a sizable pool of blood on the floor, but the healers chose to ignore it as they rushed to clean the wound and attempt to close it up. The Hylian was oblivious to the flurry of activity around them, sleeping the deep sleep of the drugged and comatose.

To see the healers working at their maximum ability was thing many never got a chance to see, as injuries as great as the Hylian’s were rare in the Domain, and Sidon took a moment to marvel at their flawless teamwork. Though she wasn’t able to work with them every day, Mipha ran the infirmary with military-like efficiency, her subordinate healers working together like a seasoned battalion. Sidon took a seat away from the action and watched as they moved from one objective to the next, first cleaning the Hylian’s wounds before debriding and stitching them shut. They rarely spoke beyond requesting tools from their assistants and acknowledging they had heard an order, focused entirely on their patient and keeping them from passing into the great beyond.

Though the other healers moved their attentions from one part of the Hylian’s body to another, Mipha had her focus entirely on the Hylian’s wrist and hand, manipulating the tiny bones back into place. Sidon knew that it if wasn’t set just right, that if bones healed wrong or the nerves got pinched, it could potentially ruin the mobility in the hand and leave the Hylian with only one good one. Mipha had to get it just right before it was wrapped and splinted, and she had to do it by touch since she couldn’t see the bones through the skin.

By the time they were finally swathing the Hylian in great lengths of white bandages, many hours had passed and many more people had come through to get a look at the Hylian. Mipha looked exhausted as she immobilized the Hylian’s hand but didn’t waver in her task, gently laying it at their side once she was done. Sidon took that as his cue to approach and quickly crossed the room, eager to find out how the Hylian was truly doing. Their clothes had been cut off to allow the healers access, leaving them bare save for a sheet draped over their waist. Up close he was able to see that they were littered with yet more scars and bruises, speaking to a life of strife and suffering, and the coppery tang of blood in his gills was almost cloying.

“Their situation is not good, Sidon.” Mipha said, pulling down the white cloth mask that had been covering her face, “But given what I found the one they came from may have been worse.”

“What do you mean?” Sidon asked. Mipha motioned to the Hylian’s leg, circling him to lay a hand on the mass of bandages covering the wound there. They extended down far enough to cover their knee and Sidon could see the outline of a splint underneath, so the Hylian wouldn’t be able to bend it for quite some time.

“I looked at this wound when I got them here, and the cut itself was too neat and clean for it to have been made with anything other than a sword. Somebody attacked them, and given the location they were probably aiming for the femoral artery. Had they actually hit it, death would have been imminent in a matter of minutes. But that’s not all.” Sidon’s stomach twisted at Mipha’s words, and he wondered how there could possibly be _more_ than than a deliberate attempt on the Hylian’s life. Mipha went around to the other side of the table and eased back the sheet keeping the Hylian’s modesty intact, careful to not expose them fully. There, starkly contrasted against the pale skin of the Hylian’s inner thighs, were dark bruises in the shape of fingers that showed barely any signs of healing.

“Sweet Hylia...” Sidon breathed, covering his mouth as a wave of nausea surged up his throat.

“I haven’t examined them there personally, but I’m told there is quite a bit of scarring as well as fresh tearing in their...canal.” Mipha covered the Hylian back up and strode to the head of the table, gently straightening their head and exposing a thick rope of scar tissue spanning their throat. The location of the scar told Sidon all he needed to know, but he dared not interrupt his sister. “Someone has also taken their voice, but I cannot be certain if it was the same person who attempted to kill them. I believe so, but there isn’t any way for me to prove it.”

“What of their hand? Are they likely to lose mobility?”

“At this point it’s hard to say; it hasn’t had any time to heal and we won’t know the true extent of the damage until after the Hylian awakes and is able to move it around. There is bruising, however, that I believe would match the heel of a boot.” Mipha said, exhaustion evident in her voice, “We will need to speak with our father soon; I can’t imagine he hasn’t already heard what has happened. The other healers knew of the Hylian before I even brought them in the door.”

Sidon frowned at his sister, but knew she was right. There was no way they would leave Dorephan out of the loop of recent events, and someone would have to defend the Hylian against Muzu, who would no doubt insist they be thrown out of the Domain. In their current condition it would be a certain death sentence, and Sidon couldn’t stand to know that they were responsible for the murder of an innocent Hylian who deserved so much better.

“I will deal with Dorephan and his advisers, Mipha. You need to rest before you collapse.” Sidon said as he gently turned her in the direction of her quarters. “I’m sure father will understand, and if he doesn’t I’ll remind him you just spent a quarter of a day keeping someone out of death’s maws.” Mipha looked at him gratefully and gave him a quick hug before turning to the healer’s quarters to get some sleep. Sidon waited until she disappeared inside the doorway before casting a quick glance back at the Hylian and making for the throne room.

He carried himself with a princely air, knowing that confidence was going to be the key. Since the other races of Hyrule so rarely visited Zora territory, the first thing Dorephan and Muzu were going to think was that they had left the Domain’s borders. Muzu was no doubt going to ask just how the Hylian had gotten so far up the Zora river, a question Sidon could not easily answer. His best guess was that they had fallen off Oren bridge, due to its proximity to where they had found the Hylian in the first place and the fact that any further upriver they would have been noticed by guards.

Sidon stepped out onto the bridge connecting the public and private parts of the palatial grounds and was immediately greeted with a loud clap of thunder. Rain was coming down in sheets, heavy enough to strangle toads, and Sidon made for the throne room as quickly as he could. The grounds were deserted as Sidon sprinted up towards where his father sat, and he had to take a moment to marvel at the irony of an aquatic people who so loathed the rain. He recomposed himself as he mounted the final set of stairs and entered the throne room to find both Dorephan and Muzu looking at him with displeased looks on their faces.

“I hear that you and your sister brought a Hylian back to the Domain.” Muzu said, the accusation clear in his tone, “Surely the two of you did not leave the Domain?”

“I can assure you we did not.” Sidon said, “We found the Hylian in the Zora river, just below Oren bridge. Though I have not discussed this with Mipha, I believe that they may have fallen off the bridge, as a fall from anywhere further upriver would have killed them, and the currents this time of year are too strong for them to have swam.”

“Then why didn’t you just fish them out and send them on their way? Why bring them back here?” Muzu sneered, “And where is your sister?”

“Because the Hylian was, _is_ , gravely injured. Mipha would have come here herself, but has been trying to save the Hylian’s life for the past quarter day. Had we left them they would not have survived.”

“You took them to the palace’s private wings?! Only Zora are permitted-”

“Muzu that’s enough.” Dorephan said, cutting Muzu’s tirade off before it could really start. “Just how injured is this Hylian?” Sidon took it as a good sign that his father was interested in the Hylian’s well-being, and spared no details as he relayed what Mipha had told him.

“Well, the most grievous injury is a wound on their right leg, which Mipha says was made by a sword in an attempt on the Hylian’s life. There is a scar on their throat that indicates that someone, likely the same someone who tried to kill them, has taken their voice, and their wrist has been absolutely shattered, possibly by someone's boot. Additionally, there is evidence of both recent and repeated rape.” Muzu and Dorephan were stunned into silence for a moment, broken only by the pounding of the heavy rain, the latter looking much more shocked than the former. Muzu was the first to say something, and it was as laced with bigotry and prejudice as Sidon feared it would be.

“Just who is this Hylian? Surely someone with so many battle scars can’t be anyone we would want within our great halls. Maybe whoever tried to kill them was justified in their attempt, and Mipha should not be trying so hard to undo their efforts.” Sidon’s gut twisted at the malice in Muzu’s words and in his voice, at someone he’d never even met, and he had to wonder how he came to possess such hatred for a people the Zora barely had any contact with.

“Muzu, I said that is enough!” Dorephan’s voice echoed loudly in the enclosed space, causing the elder Zora to flinch and lower his head. Sidon took a moment to take satisfaction from the scene before him, from Muzu being cowed into submission, but quickly recomposed himself when Dorephan turned to face him.

“Father, if I may...” Sidon interjected, “I may not know much about this Hylian, but both I and the other healers are of the consensus that this person has suffered a great deal in their short life and deserves all the help we can extend to them. For us to turn our backs would surely condemn them to a death they do not deserve.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is almost done, so I should have it up in, like, a year?
> 
> Comment and kudo, plz and thank


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 29.6.20- Now with 687 more words! A 19% increase!

“How are they?” Sidon asked, rapping on the door frame. Mipha turned to face her brother from where she sat at the Hylian’s bedside, and greeted him with a tired smile.

“Stable, at the moment. I can’t feel any internal bleeding, so that’s good. The only thing is they won’t wake up, but I think that’s more my fault than something to be worried about.” Mipha said, brushing a stray lock of hair out of the Hylian’s face. After Sidon had left, Mipha had slept for an hour and then had the Hylian moved into a private room with an actual bed. Given how panicky and skittish they had been before she’d knocked them out, Mipha had thought that some privacy would better facilitate their recovery.

“What did you expect? You gave them enough sweet-leaf to put me out twice over. And then some!” Sidon’s face fell. “What do you plan to do once they wake up? I doubt that they will be cooperative, even if they did speak Zora.” Mipha scrunched up her nose and stared down at her hands, knowing her brother was right. Victims of severe abuse such as the Hylian rarely made easy patients, and those were only the ones who could understand the words that came out of the healer’s mouth.

“I did have an idea, but it isn’t long term.” Mipha started, “I was thinking that perhaps I could give the Hylian low doses of red brew to keep them mildly sedated until we could find someone who speaks Hylian to come and translate for us. The reason I hesitate to go that route is because I don’t know of any Zora who speaks Hylian, so it would most likely have to be someone from outside the Domain. That by itself could take weeks, and I don’t feel comfortable taking consent away from one of my patients for that long, let alone this one. They’ve had enough of that for several lifetimes, I think.”

Sidon hummed in agreement, coming to sit beside Mipha in the room’s other chair and resting his elbows on his knees. The two of them sat in silence for a long time, watching the Hylian as they slept. Even though the Hylian and Zora kingdoms were neighbors and on agreeable terms, the Hylian before her was the first Mipha had ever seen, and she couldn’t stop herself from staring. Mipha couldn’t remember the last time she had seen someone who wasn’t a Zora, and everything about the Hylian was so radically different from what she was used to seeing. The blonde hair, the pointed ears, the soft skin devoid of scales, and blunt, rounded nails were all so foreign to her, though she suspected a Hylian would say the exact opposite of a Zora.

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to retire.” Sidon said quietly, almost as if he were afraid of waking the Hylian. “I am to be in court tomorrow.”

“Of course. I expect the sweet-leaf will wear off sometime in the night, so if you hear any loud noises it’ll probably be us.” Mipha stood as Sidon did, hugging him goodnight before he slipped out the door. She gave the Hylian one last once-over, checking their bandages and readjusting the covers, and made for her own bed a few doors down. All the air in her chest left her in one big sigh as she leaned heavily against the door, exhausting tugging at all her limbs. As a healer Mipha had had her share of tiring patients, from hypochondriac elders to children who would rather fuss than sit still, but the Hylian in the next room had them all beaten by a fairly large margin. The amount of care and attention that they would require in the coming days and weeks was staggering, and most of it would come from Mipha since there was no way she wasn’t going to take over their primary care.

Mipha pushed all of it aside as she got ready for bed, taking her sash off and hanging it on a hook by the door. She stepped into the pool in the corner of the room, luxuriating in the warmth of the water. She had just closed her eyes when a loud knock at her door forced her to open them again. The chill of the water, however, told Mipha that she had slept for at least several hours.

“What is it?” she called, rubbing at her eyes.

“It is the Hylian, ma’am. You may want to come attend to them.” Mipha scrambled out of bed at the other healer’s words, hastily throwing her sash back on and startling the apprentice on the other side of her door as she threw it open. A horrible retching sound met her when she crossed the threshold of the Hylian’s room, followed by the sight of them bent over the side of the bed, trembling like a fawn and vomit dripping from their mouth. Their chest heaved with every breath they took, whimpering and whining like a wounded animal.

“Go and fetch me something for nausea and for pain, immediately.” Mipha ordered, only distantly aware of the sound of the apprentice rushing to comply. There were two other healers hovering over the Hylian, looking unsure of what to do with themselves, and they stepped back at Mipha’s approach. The Hylian didn’t appear to notice, tensing up just before they vomited another foul stream of bile onto the floor. There was already a sizable pool there, though Mipha was relieved to see there wasn’t any blood.

The Hylian seemed to get over their episode at the same time the apprentice returned with the requested brews, and the clinking of the glass bottles drew their attention. Before Mipha could try to explain herself (for all the good it would do), the Hylian threw themselves back against the headboard, cowering in fear and shaking like a leaf. With one leg and the opposite hand immobilized, they couldn’t get very far, which Mipha figured to be to her advantage as she slowly crept forward with both hands held up. The Hylian whined high in their throat as she knelt down at the bedside, their one good eye watching her like she was a snake about to strike and ears pinned back against their head.

Despite how much they obviously didn’t want to be near Mipha, she could see that they were forcing themselves to stay still, to not try and get away from the thing that was causing them so much anxiety, and it twisted something in Mipha’s gut. Though it went against everything Mipha stood for as a healer, she knew that the Hylian had to have something for pain and that though she wouldn't be able to gain their consent, she was going to have to give it to them anyways. With all of their injuries, Mipha couldn’t even begin to imagine how much the poor Hylian had to be hurting, and though it pained her to force the Hylian into something it pained her even more to just allow them to suffer.

“Alright now, we’re going to take this and not fuss, okay?” Mipha said as gently as she could, thumbing the cork off the bottle of red brew and bringing it up to the Hylian’s mouth. Their eyes grew wide as saucers as they watched the bottle approach, obviously not wanting what was inside, but they obediently opened their mouth and drank when Mipha pressed it against their lips.

Mipha got up once she had given them both of the elixirs, herding the other healers out of the room, and already she could see the red brew beginning to take hold as the Hylian started to succumb to a wave of drowsiness. She didn’t want to add more stress onto the already stressed out Hylian by trying to re-settle them and check their dressings as they were losing consciousness, and were she in their position Mipha wouldn’t want eyes on her as it happened.

After about three minutes Mipha poked her head back inside and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the Hylian slumped over after having obviously lost the fight against sleep. She and the other healers were gentle but efficient as they straightened the Hylian out and checked them over, inspecting wounds and changing dressings. Mipha kept a watchful eye out for infection, but aside from some wounds on their stomach that had required new stitches everything seemed in order.

Though she was the Hylian’s primary healer, Mipha knew that she still had and obligation to the Domain and its people, and slipped out of the private wing to the front ward where her healers were working their way through a crowd of Zora who would have reached her father’s throne room if lined up. The rainy season was always one of the busiest times in a healer’s year, Zora or not, but with as wet as the Domain was beyond the near daily showers of the late summer months, Mipha’s people were especially susceptible to illness. While the Hylian was a constant thought at the back of Mipha’s mind, she didn’t have any extra effort to make them more than that as she took tally of colds and coughs, and kept track of the supplies they were using. She directed her healers and apprentices as efficiently as possible, sending some to treat patients, others out on foraging missions so they wouldn’t run out of medicine, and others still to care for the patients they had admitted. For a while she even sat with their brewer, bottling vial after vial of tinctures and remedies.

Since there weren’t any windows in the healer’s wing Mipha couldn’t know what time it was, but she figured the day had to be almost up given the dwindling number of patients and the ache in her feet and back. Mipha sank down onto the chair behind the intake desk with a bone-deep tiredness she could feel in her core and gratefully took the plate of fish and seaweed from the cook who offered it to her. No doubt it had been Sidon who had sent some of the cooks from the kitchens to come and feed the healers and remaining patients, and Mipha blessed him for it. She would have to thank him when he showed up later in the night, wanting to see how the Hylian was doing.

Mipha watched the cook circle the waiting room as she ate, passing out plates of food to people who she knew wouldn’t make it out in time to find something for themselves, and resolved to check on the Hylian once she was done. Throughout the day she had sent healers back to look in on them to see how they were doing, and each one reported that they were still sleeping. Mipha figured that was to be expected with the dosages she had given them, and she also figured they were probably due to wake up sometime soon.

An apprentice skidding to a halt in front of her a few moments later proved her right, and Mipha gave her dinner one last forlorn look since it was likely the last she’d see of it.

“Ma’am, the Hylian is awake.”

“Lead the way, then.” Mipha started to follow the apprentice but paused and turned back to grab her plate. It was clear that wherever the Hylian had come from hadn’t provided enough in the way of nutrition, not if their starved, emaciated frame was anything to go by, and perhaps a food offering would help Mipha build some sort of trust between her and them. She paused before she entered their room to grab the tiny bottle of sweet-leaf essence, realizing the irony of bringing drugs with her peace offering all too much.

Mipha entered the Hylian’s room slowly so as to not spook them, and was glad to see them sitting up in bed. They were still eyeing everything in the room with a suspicious and wary eye, but Mipha would take that over the panic and distress they had displayed the first time they had woken up. The Hylian’s gaze snapped to her as she stepped into the room, and Mipha noted the recognition there. They remembered her, and Mipha figured it was safe to assume they also remembered what she had done.

“I brought dinner.” Mipha said, presenting her plate, and noticed the way the Hylian hungrily glanced at it before returning to her. “I don’t know if you like raw fish, but it’s all we’ve got.” When the Hylian made no motion from where they sat bunched up at the head of the bed, Mipha gingerly picked up a piece of trout and offered it to them. For a long moment Mipha thought they wouldn’t take it, that there was a chasm of distrust between them too great for the Hylian to cross, but eventually the Hylian slowly extended their good hand and took the proffered piece of fish. At first they just watched Mipha without moving to eat it, but then shoved it into their mouth with lightning fast speed Mipha would have thought was beyond them at the moment. Mipha set the plate down between them and the pattern repeated with the next three bites, and her stomach clenched as she realized that they were trying to prevent her from taking the food away. The Zora weren’t a particularly pious people, but at that moment Mipha was certain Hylia would give what was due to whoever had seen fit to so abuse another person.

The Hylian began to slow down around six or seven bites in, which Mipha figured was probably about right given how starved they were. She had half expected them to start gorging themselves once they had the ability to feed themselves, and she was surprised at the amount of restraint they were displaying. Mipha would have liked to think it was because they knew that doing so would make themselves sick, but deep down she knew that it probably spoke more to the practices of their abuser than to their amount of self-restraint.

They paused for a long moment when they finished, their eyes flicking over the plate to determine if they were ready to relinquish the food that had been offered to them, but allowed Mipha to move the plate away to the bedside table. They watched Mipha like a hawk as she carefully folded the blanket over their lap back to expose the mass of bandages around their leg, a patch of red beginning to seep through to the outer layer.

“I’m just going to change these out for clean bandages now, okay? We don’t want infection to set in.” Mipha said, gingerly setting her hand on their knee to try and convey what she was saying since her words meant nothing. When the Hylian held themselves together, Mipha undid the clasp holding the end of the bandages and started to unroll them, careful not to jostle the wound. Once it was exposed she looked it over, inspecting the edges to check for signs of infection and make sure the stitches were holding, all the while keeping an eye on the Hylian to make sure that they weren’t getting overwhelmed. There was a brief moment of panic when Mipha called for an assistant to bring in supplies for her to clean the wound, but they calmed back down once they were alone again.

The peace lasted just long enough for Mipha to clean the wound and start re-wrapping the it when a noise from the head of the bed drew her attention. She looked up mid-motion to find the Hylian swallowing reflexively, their face ashen and pale, and it was all she could do to toss the bloody water over her shoulder and hold the bowl under their mouth to keep them from vomiting into their own lap. The assistant outside must have heard the commotion because she rushed in before Mipha could tell her to stay out, and the Hylian panicked when they registered the touch of unfamiliar hands. A terrified cry tore out of their mangled throat as they fought to get away, and for a second time Mipha found herself with a lap full of struggling, flailing Hylian as they tumbled into the floor and took her with them.

Fearful that they may permanently injure themselves, Mipha frantically grabbed for the bottle on the nightstand and shoved the dropper into the Hylian’s mouth, releasing what was likely four or five times the normal dose. Mipha and the offending assistant locked eyes over the Hylian as their struggles gradually ceased, and she prayed Sidon found a translator, and found one fast. She wasn’t sure how much more either of them could take.

* * *

Sidon slipped into the Hylain’s room sometime that night as Mipha was looking them over, still heavily drugged from the mishap of just hours before.

“More adventures?” he asked as delicately as he could, taking a seat in the room’s single chair. “I saw the apprentice cleaning chamber pots.”

“Yes, unfortunately; dinnertime’s...incident was technically her fault. Even still, I’m not sure how much longer either one of us can keep this up. Do you have any idea how long it will take to find a translator? Any at all?” Mipha didn’t even try to hide the slight note of desperation in her voice as she turned away from the Hylian to face her younger brother. Now that she could see him, she could also see the way he kept glancing out into the hallway as if he were keeping watch. “Are you expecting someone?”

“Actually I am.” he said, standing as a slender red Zora poked her head into the doorway, “Mipha, this is Laflat, our chief librarian. She not only speaks Hylian and Zora, but also signed versions of both.” Sidon was beaming as he ushered Laflat into the room, and although the named sounded familiar Mipha wasn’t sure she could place her. The platinum and aquamarine hanging from her neck and the matching belt at her waist spoke of high standing, but that was all Mipha could glean from just looking at her.

“It is an honor, my Lady.” Laflat said as she bowed to Mipha, making the jewelry around her neck and waist jingle softly. “I have been informed that verbal responses aren’t possible in this situation, and I can assure you I am also fluent in the written aspect of the language.”

“Really? That is—that is excellent!” Mipha exclaimed, briefly forgetting the rules of propriety between royals and subjects, but sobered quickly as she looked over her shoulder at the comatose Hylian laid out behind her. “It’s already getting late, and they may be out for a while yet, so why don’t you take one of the private water pools for the night? That way you’ll be close by when we need you.”

“Of course, my Lady. I’m happy to help in whatever way you need me. I will need to grab a few things from my own quarters, but I can be back in just a few minutes.” Laflat bowed once to Mipha and then Sidon before excusing herself from the room, leaving just the two of them. Technically the Hylian made three, but Mipha thought that higher brain function was necessary to be included in a conversation.

“Sidon, where in Hyrule did you even find her?” Mipha asked, amazement still coloring her voice.

“Her father is our chief royal secretary. When I mentioned needing a Hylian translator to Father, he told me of Laflat and her linguistic talents. Apparently she studied in Hyrule castle for over a year and has a trip planned next year to meet with a Gerudo tutor.”

“Well, hopefully her presence will make things a little easier. If not for us than certainly for them.” Mipha nodded over her shoulder at the Hylian, and Sidon nodded his assent. The two of them fell quiet after that, and bade each other goodnight once Mipha gave the Hylian a final once-over for the night.

* * *

The next morning dawned much the same as the one before, with the Hylian waking up nauseous and in a panic, and Laflat wasted no time in taking point.

 _“Hey, it’s alright; you’re in the Zora Domain, in Lanayru.”_ she said, pulling the room’s chair up to the side of the bed. The Hylian looked shocked to hear their native language from someone decidedly not Hylian, which seemed to break them out of their panic. _“My friend over there rescued you from the river and brought you here. My name is Laflat; if I give you a slate, could you tell me yours?”_ The Hylian watched Mipha warily as she handed them the slate and stylus, but took it without fuss and quickly scrawled out a sentence.

“He says his name is Link.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the whole world has lost its goddamn mind...Can it still be called quarantine if you don't leave the house when there's *not* mass hysteria over a virus less deadly than the flu? (Oh poor, naive, little past me. You sweet summer child. You don't even know of the horrors looming on your horizon, but at least your mask will have constellations on it.)
> 
> Anyone care to give me comments and kudos to get me through these tough few weeks of being shut in my house with all of my electronics and the internet?
> 
> (Also the word in German for mass panic-buying is Hamsterkaufen)


End file.
